5-Star Guard DJ Wagner Commits to Kentucky; No. 1 Recruit in Class of 2023

An absolutely loaded Kentucky men's basketball class of 2023 got even better Monday when DJ Wagner, a 5-star guard who plays for Camden (New Jersey) High School, chose to play for John Calipari's Wildcats.

Wagner—rated as the top prospect in the Class of 2023 in the 247Sports' composite rankings—announced his commitment to ESPN's Paul Biancardi.

The outlet of the choice appeared to be a formality after Travis Branham of 247Sports revealed news of Wagner's impending announcement.

Wagner joins a class of 2023 that includes fellow 5-star prospects in center Aaron Bradshaw, small forward Justin Edwards and point guard Robert Dillingham, all of whom are ranked in the top nine of 247Sports' prospect rankings. Bradshaw is notably Wagner's teammate at Camden.

The class also includes 4-star guard Reed Sheppard, ranked 29th overall.

Adam Finklestein, 247Sports' director of scouting, provided a report for the 6'3" combo guard in July that read in part:

"Wagner is a proven and versatile scorer, with numerous weapons at his disposal. He’s also an elite competitor who plays hard, has a way of raising the level of those around him, and doesn’t get enough credit for bringing a similar mindset to the defensive end of the floor. He plays in constant attack mode, accelerates right at his defender while mixing in some shake and shiftiness, scores around the rim with both hands, and is a legitimate threat to create his own shot at all three-levels."

Wagner is the son of former NBA guard Dajuan Wagner, who the Cleveland Cavaliers selected with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2002 NBA draft out of Memphis. Wagner averaged 9.4 points over four NBA seasons for the Cavs and Los Angeles Clippers.

He is also the grandson of Milt Wagner, who played college ball at Louisville before going pro.

In the end, Wagner's choice to go to Kentucky adds to the school's legacy of stockpiling elite high school talents on a yearly basis. Ultimately, the addition of Wagner gives the 2023-24 Kentucky team a chance to be up there with some of the greatest squads in school history.